Love is sweeter the second time around chapter 75
by dementedducky
Summary: bit of a look into Brendan as a wee boy as Cheryl and Ste have a catch up


*Later at home with the kids in bed*

"

So Ste, you and Brendan got everything for your grand opening?

"

I think so, we've got ingredients but we've done basically no cooking except for practises but everything else including local media and the public are sorted."

"Can't be easy on you all when you've got young Lucas in hospital. Brendan told me what happened. When it was his turn at home and it was late, the kids were in bed and he couldn't sleep he'd message me"

"Aww I'm so glad you're part of our family Cheryl"

"

Me too Ste honey. So what are the plans for tomorrow, the day before the big eh?"

"I don't know to be honest"

"Well why don't we go to the hospital as soon as the kids are in school and you can see Lucas a bit, I'll stay with him and keep the wee man company whilst you and Bren get as much preparation done as possible and then come back when you're ready and if you need me to stay the night with him I will I'm sure Deccy can look after the little ones they're only over the road from the bakery after all."

"Good idea, I'll run it past Brendan and Declan in the morning as I don't want Declan feeling he has to, he's still a bit shaken up from the accident, blamed himself for ages. Still does sometimes but he was just being a good big brother and spoiling them with sweets it's his teacher who's to blame"

"Aye, you're right Steven, it's not our Deccy's fault but as the oldest he feels he should be able to protect them all from the world. He's a lot like his Da when he was a kid"

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I remember he used to follow me around dressed like a super hero, had a cloth tucked in his collar and everything. I asked him one day. You know, why he had to follow me. He told me the only monsters are the people out there and he didn't want anything happening to me. If I even so much as grazed a knee he'd be blaming himself for over half an hour. One time though, we were out, I was about 6 and Brendan about 9 and some big snarling dog, horrible it was, started barking at me, foaming at the mouth it tried to make a snap at me but my Bren was near and hit the dog with a stick and then threw it as far as he could. I had my eyes shut thinking I was dead but when I peered up I saw my brother standing there holding an arm out to me his cape fluttering in the breeze and after that I realised he was just doing what was best for me, being my big protective brother."

"That's amazing Cheryl, I see where your Declan gets it from."

"Aye and with the Brady men they don't care if they get hurt just so long as their loved ones are safe, one time I'll always remember one time, I was about 9 and Bren about 12, I was climbing on this big shelving unit because I saw an old toy of mine. Da was calling for me and he was getting more and more annoyed I could hear it, few minutes later our Bren comes down to the basement where I was and starts calling for me. By now I was up high and stuck but I almost had my old toy. I loved it so much I thought I'd lost him forever. Well Bren sees I've got stuck and climbs up to get me. He carries me down like a real hero and puts me back on the floor only as I turn to walk away the shelving unit falls forwards. Bren, leaps out and pushes me out the way, by the time I stand up and turn around I notice Bren was no one to be seen so I panic and call for him and Da, sure enough he was under the shelving unit. 3 broken ribs and a broken ankle and wrist he suffered for that and a split head too. Mind you Da didn't go lightly on him. He got a slap across the back of the legs before the ambulance arrived because he didn't wanna go to the hospital and then despite the hospital calling him a hero our Da nagged and nagged at Bren four a good few hours until he left him there."

"

Wow, you're Brendan is such a little hero ain't he?"

"He is"

"He even saved our Leah" Ste says explaining how Leah got stuck and Brendan pulled his arm out of the socket to stop her falling. They spend hours talking about Brendan. Ste especially loves hearing about little Brendan and his antics. Cheryl tells him of the time when he wanted a moustache SO bad he got a permanent marker and scribbled one that lasted for a week no matter how hard their Da scrubbed and the time that Cheryl's first boyfriend broke her heart and Brendan went for a "walk" and returned with scuffed knuckles and swollen lip but her ex was a total mess.

"

That was the only time Da was ever really proud of our Bren, when he kicked someone's arse, but they had to deserve it of course our Bren would never lash out for no reason."

Ste tells her of the time he woke up on holiday to find his son could swim because even though Brendan busted his arm saving Leah he'd made a promise to Lucas that he'd have him swimming by the end of the holiday and about the fire where he nearly died trying to get a bathrobe for him to keep Ste warm. Cheryl rolled her eyes.

"

That boys a law unto himself he really is but I'm so glad you've found each other, hey you know something… Brendan never told me how you two met just that things were moving fast but he liked it, which was weird for our Bren we didn't think he'd ever settle down again after Eileen"

So Brendan tells her the tale of how Brendan saved him the first time. How Ste was so drunk he couldn't remember how to get home (but left out the embarrassing bit where he thought Brendan was some weird pervert) and how they basically spent every single day together ever since and how each day was more perfect than the last and how he couldn't believe his luck.


End file.
